Date uploaded in London – 13 July 2024
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From Viveka Chuudamani (VC) of Aadi Sankara
संन्यस्य सर्वकर्माणि भवबन्धविमुक्तये ।
यत्यतां पण्डितैर्धीरैरात्माभ्यास उपस्थितैः ॥ १0 ॥
saṃnyasya sarvakarmāṇi bhavabandhavimuktaye |
yatyatāṃ paṇḍitairdhīrairātmābhyāsa upasthitaiḥ || 10 ||
10. Let the wise and erudite man, having commenced the practice of the realisation of the Ātman give up all works and try to cut loose the bonds of birth and death.
Notes:
[All works—only Sakáma-Karma or works performed with a view to gaining more sense-enjoyment are meant, not selfless work. ]
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चित्तस्य शुद्धये कर्म न तु वस्तूपलब्धये ।
वस्तुसिद्धिर्विचारेण न किंचित्कर्मकोटिभिः ॥ ११ ॥
cittasya śuddhaye karma na tu vastūpalabdhaye |
vastusiddhirvicāreṇa na kiṃcitkarmakoṭibhiḥ || 11 ||
11. selfless work leads to purification of the mind, not to perception of the Reality. The realisation of Truth is brought about by discrimination and not in the least by ten million of acts.
Notes:
[The idea is, that works properly done cleanse the mind of its impurities, when the Truth flashes of itself. ]
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Works like Yagas and Yajnas to get good things in life are not bad. But they won’t help you realise the Truth.
Second point Sankara makes is worshipping God for personal benefits is not selfless work.
Following quotations from Swami Vivkananda also clarify this:
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA QUOTES ON WORK
Activity is the manifestation of interior strength, calmness, of the superior.
Never will unhappiness or misery come through work done without attachment.
Work is inevitable, it must be so; but we should work to the highest purpose.
Man works with various motives. There cannot be work without motive.
The greatest work is done only when there is no selfish motive to prompt it.
The main effect of work done for others is to purify ourselves.
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Butter challenged Water
Swami Mukundananda comments:
In order to elevate the mind toward God, we need to dedicate some time on a daily basis for secluded sādhanā.
The analogy of milk and water can help elucidate this point. If milk is poured into water, it cannot retain its undiluted identity, for water naturally mixes with it. However, if the milk is kept separate from water and converted into yogurt, and then the yogurt is churned to extract butter, the butter becomes immiscible. It can now challenge the water, “I will sit on your head and float; you can do nothing to me because I have become butter now.” Our mind is like the milk and the world is like water. In contact with the world, the mind gets affected by it and becomes worldly. However, an environment of seclusion, which offers minimal contact with the objects of the senses, becomes conducive for elevating the mind and focusing it upon God. Once sufficient attachment for God has been achieved, one can challenge the world, “I will live amidst all the dualities of Maya, but remain untouched by them.”
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Swami Chinmayanaanda in his commentary on VC sloka 10 says,
Here is a piece of advice given to a man who has all the theoretical knowledge of the science of self -perfection. He is told to renounce all activities motivated by self -aggrandising hopes or disintegrating desires.
This renunciation of the activities of the world is not to be over emphasised and misunderstood, as is generally done, to mean that Vedanta is calling man to a life of lotus eating. It is only asking us to reduce over excitement in life and curb the wasteful expenditure of our mental and intellectual energies.
Swami Chinmayanaanda in his commentary on VC sloka 11 says,
This verse may give a novice the impression of that Vedanta is decrying all the orthodox and accepted methods of religious practice. A child is told by his parents to revise his arithmetic tables every day. The obedient child soon gets into the habit of starting his day with a reading of the tables. But if the child continues habit as a dull and unintelligent routine even in his post graduate classes, it is but natural for his professor to laugh at his stupidity. Similarly in the halls of Vedanta, the seeker is laughed at because of the time worn techniques of self-development to which he has become habituated.
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Tamil poet Arunagirinathar said
Summaa Iru Sollara= Be quiet; Stop Talking
செம்மான் மகளைத் திருடும் திருடன்
பெம்மான் முருகன் பிறவான் இறவான்
‘சும்மா இருசொல்லற’ என்றலுமே
அம்மா பொருள் ஒன்றும் அறிந்திலனே!
As soon as Lord Skanda, who knows of neither birth nor death, and who secretly took away Valli- born in the forest, imparted the teaching enjoining me to be in quietude without speaking, what a surprise that all the things of this world vanished!
That is, as soon as Lord Skanda told me this, wisdom dawned upon me.
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Lord Krishna also advised seclusion for meditation:
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थित: |
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रह: || 10||
yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ
ekākī yata-chittātmā nirāśhīr aparigrahaḥ
Translation
BG 6.10: Those who seek the state of Yoga should reside in seclusion, constantly engaged in meditation with a controlled mind and body, getting rid of desires and possessions for enjoyment.
He means No Work, but meditation only in a secluded place.
–subham—
Tags- Viveka Chudamani, Slokas 10, 11, my research notes.
Tamil and Vedas 